Fruit press



Jan; 28, 1936. B. L. M KINSTRY FRUIT PRESS Original Filed Aug. 1, 1931:s Sheets-Sheet 1 j v INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1936. McKlNsT Y Re.19,838

FRUIT PRESS )riginal Filed Aug. 1, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYReissued Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRUIT PRESS Bruce L.McKinsti'y, Entiat, Wash.

12 Claims.

This invention relates to cider presses, designed primarily forproducing cider on order.

An object of the invention is to provide a press of compact form so thatit may be readily set up in a convenient place to press the apples andproduce cider in the presence of the customer, and to insure, to thesatisfaction of the customer, that the cider is fresh.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cider press capable ofbeing set up and so arranged that a customer may select the apples andsee to it the apples selected are put in the press and the cider madefresh while he waits.

A press constructed and arranged as outlined not only insures of fresh,sweet cider, but prevents the dealer passing oflf stale cider for fresh,as the whole operation is carried on in the presence of the customer.

The invention also comprehends improvements in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the cider press.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevation of valve gear used in connection with thepress.

Figure 5 is an end view of the valve gear shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the position of the levers whenstarting the press.

Figure 7 is a detail view illustrating the position of the valves whenthe levers are in the position shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view illustrating the position of the levers at thebeginning of the pressure stroke.

Figure 9 is a detail view illustrating the position of the valves whenthe levers are in the position shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail view of the strainer ring housing.

Figure 11 is a detail view of the strainer ring.

Figure 12 is a view illustrating the arrangement used for washing thestrainer rings.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, numeral l indicates theframe of the press; 2 a hydraulic cylinder which may be formedintegrally with the frame or otherwise secured thereto. A piston 3operates in the cylinder 2, and to the outer end of the piston issecured a push block 4. Extending from one side of the block 4 is a lug5 which projects through a slot s {in the side of the frame. as shown inFigure 1.

Mounted on the frame is a rotary valve 1 formed with ports 8 and 3 forsupplying and exhausting oil to and from the cylinder 2. A secondhydraulic cylinder I0 is mounted on the frame and operating in the sameis a piston II, on the outer end of which is an enlarged piston l2operating in a cylinder l3, and on the outer end of the cylinder I3 issecured a detachable cover H which encloses a strainer [5.

The cover I4 is provided with an annular groove IE to receive the ciderfrom the strainer, and communicating with the groove is a draw-off pipeIT. The strainer I5 is of ring formation and is provided with a seriesof narrow slots [8, through which the cider is strained to the groove I9is a valve formed with ports 20 and 2| for supplying oil to cylinderIll. Extending from the piston I2 is a lug 22 projecting through a slot23 in the side of the cylinder l3.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, 24 indicates a rotor channeled outto receive a cutting. blade 25 fastened in place by screws 25. The rotoris mounted on a shaft 21, to one end of which is keyed a grooved pulley28, and a belt connects this pulley with another grooved pulley 29 onthe shaft of a motor 30 located under the press. From one end of thevalve I projects a stub shaft 3|, to which is secured a bell crank 32provided with a small hand lever 33. The valves I and 9 are held inplace by end covers 34 and 35 by means of screws 35.

The bell crank 32 is connected to a rod 31, the outer end of this rodhaving a cam 38 formed with a notch 39 adapted to receive a lug 40 onthe frame I. Extending from one end of the valve I9 is a stub shaft 4|,to which is secured ratchet wheel 42. Rotatably mounted on the stubshaft 4| are two levers 43 and 44. To lever is pivoted a pawl 46, whichcooperates with the ratchet wheel 42 in a manner to be described. A rod41 connects the bell crank lever 32 with the lever 44 to causesimultaneous movement of the lever and bell crank when the hand lever isoperated. To crank 43 is connected a rod 48 provided at its outer endwith a cam 49 formed on its edge with a notch 50 adapted to receive alug 5| on the frame of the press. Rods 31 and 48 pass through openings52 and 53 formed in a bracket 54 on the side of the frame.

To rods 31 and 48 are secured collars 55 and 56. and to rod 31 issecured a forked lever 51, the lower forked end thereof straddling. therod 48 so that when rod 31. is moved to. the left, rod 48 willIce-correspondingly moved. Betweencoilars and 56, and surrounding rods31 and 48, are springs 59 and 59, the left hand ends of which bearagainst the bracket 54. 66 and 6| are two springs secured to bracket 54,and arranged so as to urge the rod 31 upwardly and the rod 39 downwardlyto insure of the cams being in operative position to cooperate with thelugs 49 and 5|.

62 is an oil pump and 63 is an oil reservoir. 01] pump 62 is connectedon the suction side to the reservoir by means of a pipe 64, and thedischarge side is connected to valves 1 and I9 by pipes 55, 66 and 61.69 and 69 are discharge pipes connecting the valves 1 and I9respectively to the oil reservoir 63. Pump 62 is belted to the motor 30by means of belt 16.

In operation, an apple, indicated at 12, is first dropped through theopening 1|, as shown in Figure 2, then the hand lever 33 is moved fromthe position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 6. This moves therod 31 to the left so that the notch 39 will engage the lug 49 and holdthe parts in locked position. Movement of the rod 31, of course, movesthe forked lever 51, and through the latter the rod 43 is moved a likedistance and the notch 50 engages over the lug 5I and locks said rod inposition.

Movement of the two rods 31 and 48, as described, will rotate valve 1 tothe position shown in Figure 7, but because the levers 43 and 44carrying the pawls freely rotate on the stub shaft 4|, and the positionand shape of the ratchet teeth, the valve I9 remains stationary. Hencethis valve is in direct connection with the reservoir, as shown inFigure 7. Since valve 1 has been rotated to afford communication betweenthe pump and cylinder 2, when the motor is started, oil is forcedthrough pipes 65 and 66 and port 9 into the cylinder, and piston 3 isdrawn forward. As the piston advances, the block 4 forces the appleagainst the rotor and the cutting blade cuts it into slices.

The sliced pieces of apple fall into the cylinder l3, as shown at 13.When the block 4 has reached its limit of movement toward the extremeleft, as indicated by dotted lines 14 in Figure 2, the lug 5 will rideup on the cam 39 of the rod 31, as shown in Figure 6, and force the roddown against the pressure of spring 66, as shown in dotted lines inFigure 6. This disengages the notch 39 from lug 49 and permits thespring 58 to return the rod 31 to its normal position, as shown inFigures 1 and 8, and correspondingly returns valve 1 to its normalposition, as shown in Figure 9. When pressure is relieved from cylinder2, a spring 4 will retract the piston 3 and force the oil back throughport 9, pipe 69, to the reservoir. The movement of the bell crank 32during this operation from position shown in Figure 6 to the positionshown in Figure 8 causes rod 41 to move downwardly, which moves lever 44downwardly, as shown in Figure 8, which causes the pawl 46 to rotateratchet 42 in the direction indicated by arrow 15, which in turn causesthe valve I9 to take the position as shown in Figure 9. This permits oilto pass from the pump through port 20 and into the cylinder III, forcingthe piston II with piston l2 to the left, as indicated'by dotted lines16 (Figure 2).

The sliced apple, indicated at 13, (Figure 2) is thus compressed againstthe detachable cover I4, forcing the apple juice or cider through slotsI8 of the strainer into the annular groove I6,

and finally out through draw-off pipe I1 into a glass or container 11(Figures 1 and 2). As the piston I2 reaches its extreme movement towardthe left, the lug 22 presses against the cam 49 (Figure 8), forcing rod49 upwardly against the pressure of spring 6| to the position shown inthe dotted lines, which disengages notch 59 from the lug 5|, permittingthe spring 59 to force rod 49 back to the right, as shown in Figures 1and 4. This action causes pawl 45 to rotate ratchet 42 again in thedirection of the arrow 15, causing valve I9 to assume the position shownin Figure 2. The spring 18 (Figure 2) retracts the piston II, forcingthe oil through port 2| back into reservoir 63. The machine having nowreached the starting position, the motor is stopped. The strainer I5 isremoved by lifting hook I 4 to the position shown in dotted lines,permitting the cap I4 and strainer l8 to be removed and the pulp of theapple removed.

To clean the slots I8 of the strainer, any suitable method may beemployed. For example, the strainers may be placed on a wire carrier 19,as shown in Figure 12, and lowered into a receptacle 86 provided with apipe 8| perforated, as at 92. The steam or hot water may now be turnedon by means of valve 83, allowing it to pass through holes 82 of pipe 89against the strainers I5. The water, 'after having been rinsed throughthe strainers I5, passes off through the discharge pipe 84.

While I have shown and described a particular form of embodiment of myinvention, I am aware that many minor changes will readily suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention. I, therefore, desire to avoid being limitedto the particular form of embodiment which I have hereinabove shown anddescribed.

I claim:

1. A press of the class described comprising a frame formed with acavity to receive fruit, a rotating cutting blade for slicing the fruitinto sections, a plunger to force the fruit into contact with therotating cutting blade, a piston connected to the plunger, means forexpressing the juice from the cut fruit including a piston, a valve forcontrolling fluid to the first mentioned piston, a second valve forcontrolling fluid to the second mentioned piston, means connected to thefirst mentioned valve for locking the valve in open position whenadmitting fluid to operate the first mentioned piston, a latch operatedand set by the operation of the aforesaid means, a pawl and ratchetconnection between said latch and the second mentioned valve, a secondpawl cooperating with the ratchet, a connection between the firstmentioned valve and the second mentioned pawl, a trip on the plunger forreleasing the locked connecting means, means for returning saidconnecting means and the first mentioned valve to normal position, meansoperated by the second mentioned piston to automatically release thelatch and cause the ratchet to open the second mentioned valve, andmeans for returning the juice expressing means to normal position.

2. A press of the class described comprising fruit slicing means, aplunger cooperating with said slicing means, a juice expressing plunger,a valve for admitting fluid to operate the first mentioned plunger, abell crank lever connected to said valve, a latch rod connected to onearm of the bell crank lever, said latch rod having a cam formed with anotch, a lug on the first mentioned plunger to cooperate with the notch,a forked lever attached to the latch rod, a second valve for admittingfluid to the second mentioned plunger, a ratchet connected to saidsecond mentioned valve, a pivoted lever cooperating with said secondmentioned valve, a pawl pivoted to the latter lever and engaging theratchet, a second latch rod pivoted to the pawl and lever, said secondmentioned latch rod having a cam formed with a notch, the forked leverstraddling said latter latch rod, a spring on each latch rod adjacentthe forked lever, a second lever associated with the second mentionedvalve, a pawl pivoted to said second mentioned lever and engaging theratchet, a connection between said second mentioned lever and anarm ofthe bell crank lever, means on the flrst mentioned plunger to engage thecam and release the first mentioned latch rod, means on the secondmentioned plunger'to engage the cam and release the second mentionedlatch rod, and means on each plunger to return same to normal position.

3. A press of the class described comprising a means for slicing fruit,means for expressing the juice from the sliced fruit, a pump, valves,means between the valves and the slicing and fruit juice expressingmeans to automatically lock one valve in open position to admit pressurefrom the pump to operate the slicing means and simultaneously set alatch to position a second valve to be subsequently operated to admitpressure from the pump to actuate the juice expressing means, meansassociated with the slicing means to shift the first mentioned valve torelieve the pressure from the pump and shift the second mentioned valveto admit pressure to operate the juice expressing means, and meansassociated with the juice expressing means for automatically releasingthe mechanism to actuate the second mentioned valve to relieve pressurefrom the pump.

4. In combination, a macerating chamber, a macerator therein, movingmeans for feeding fruit to said macerator, a pressing chambercommunicating with said macerating chamber, a pressing member withinsaid pressing chamber adapted to compress the macerated material toremove the juice therefrom, said pressing member being arranged to cutoff communication between said pressing chamber and said maceratingchamber during the final stages of pressing, and control meansoperatively interconnecting said feeding member with said pressingmember.

5. In combination, a macerating chamber, a macerator therein, a pressingchamber disposed adjacent to said macerating chamber and having acommunicating passage therebetween, means for feeding fruit to saidmacerator within said macerating chamber, means for pressing themacerated fruit within said pressing chamber, and control meansoperatively interconnecting said feeding member with said pressingmember.

6. In combination, a macerating. chamber, a macerator therein, apressing chamber disposed adjacent to said macerating chamber and havinga communicating passage therebetween, means for feeding fruit to saidmacerator within said macerating chamber, means for pressing themacerated fruit within said pressing chamber, said pressing means beingadapted to close said communicating passage prior to the completion ofthe pressing stroke, and control means operatively interconnecting saidfeeding member with said pressing member.

7. In combination, a macerating chamber, a

macerator therein, a pressing chamber disposed adjacent to saidmacerating chamber and having a communicating passage therebetween,means for feeding fruit to said macerator within said maceratingchamber, means for pressing the macerated fruit within said pressingchamber, and means for causing said pressing means to begin itsoperation substantially at the termination of the operation of saidfeeding means.

8. In combination, a macerating chamber, a macerator therein, a pressingchamber disposed adjacent to said macerating chamber and having acommunicating passage therebetween, means for feeding fruit to saidmacerator within said macerating chamber, means for pressing themacerated fruit within said pressing chamber, straining means arrangednear the end of said pressing chamber, and control means operativelyinterconnecting said feeding member with said pressing member.

9. In combination in a juice-extracting machine, a.hydraulically-operated feeding member, a macerator arranged to be fed bysaid feeding member, a hydraulically-operated fruit-pressing member, asource of fluid pressure for supplying said members, and meansoperatively connected to said fruit-feeding member to delay theoperation of said fruit-pressing member until said fruit-feeding memberreaches a predetermined position.

10. In combination in a juice-extracting machine, ahydraulically-operated fruit-feeding member, a macerator arranged to befed by said feeding member, a hydraulically-operated fruitpressingmember, a source of fluid pressure for supplying said members, valvemeans arranged to control the supplying of pressure fluid to saidfeeding and pressing members, and mechanism operatively interconnectingsaid valve means, said mechanism being adapted to operate said pressingmember valve to supply fluid thereto when said feeding member reaches apredetermined position.

11. In combination in a juice-extracting machine, ahydraulically-operated feeding member, a macerator arranged to be fed bysaid feeding member, a. hydraulically-operated fruit-pressing member, asource of fluid pressure for supplying said members, means operativelyconnected to said fruit-feeding member to delay the operation of saidfruit-pressing member until said fruitfeeding member reaches a.predetermined position, and means adapted to halt the supplying ofpressure fluid tosaid pressing member when said pressing memberapproaches the end of its pressing stroke.

12. In combination in a juice-extracting machine, ahydraulically-operated fruit-feeding member, a. macerator arranged to befed by said feeding member, a hydraulically-operated fruitpressingmember, a source of fluid pressure for supplying said members, valvemeans arranged to control the supplying of pressure fluid to saidfeeding and pressing members, mechanism operatively interconnecting saidvalve means, said mechanism being adapted to operate said pressingmember valve to supply fluid thereto when said feeding member reaches apredetermined position, and means adapted to halt the supplying ofpressure fluid to said pressing member when said pressing memberapproaches the end of its pressing stroke.

BRUCE L. McKINSTRY.

